Former Springfield firefighter facing trial again

A former Springfield Township firefighter is scheduled to stand trial Monday in Mahoning County for several charges related to sexual assault.
Brian Timothy Swansiger, 29, faces three counts of rape and three counts of gross sexual imposition. The charges stem from a secret indictment filed in January 2025.
The accusations involve incidents that allegedly occurred in 2018 and 2020. In the 2018 case, a woman reported that she met Swansiger through a dating app and that he assaulted her after she invited him to her home to watch movies. While a grand jury originally declined to charge him in 2018, the case was later reopened.
The trial will take place in the courtroom of Judge Maureen Sweeney. It follows a final hearing held on Dec. 30, where the court confirmed the trial date.
Swansiger was previously placed on unpaid leave from the Springfield Township Fire Department following the investigation.
Aside from the Mahoning County case, Swansiger recently entered a plea in a different case in Portage County. In September, he pleaded guilty there to felony charges of aggravated assault and gross sexual imposition. He is currently scheduled for sentencing in that county on March 2.
The Mahoning County trial is set to begin Monday at 8:30 a.m.
